Elective Course Tracks

This guide is a listing of elective courses relevant to particular areas of legal practice or intellectual interest.

Courses are grouped as “foundational,” “advanced or specialty,” or “related.”

Courses listed as “foundational” are building blocks that generally cover basic concepts. Sometimes, the foundational courses are prerequisites for many of the specialty courses in the area, but not always. In other areas, the foundational courses are merely suggested starting points, and you could take advanced or specialty courses in the area without taking the foundational courses.

Courses that are listed under one area of interest could still be relevant to another area of interest; these categories are not meant to be exclusive or exhaustive. Reasonable minds may and will differ with respect to which courses should be included within each list. Therefore, this guide is only advisory; you should check with faculty advisors, the Career Services Office, and other reliable sources if you have questions about these course groupings.

You should also note that clinical offerings and externships and Advanced Legal Research are not individually categorized. These classes relate to a large number of these categories. There are also moot court competitions and law reviews that are specific to particular areas of interest. You should consider these options when planning your course of study.

You should also consider the frequency with which courses are offered and the prerequisites for courses when planning your course of study. Please Note: the listing of a course on a track does not guarantee that the course will be offered on a regular basis. Some specialized courses listed may only be taught once every five years. Check with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or the Registrar if you have questions regarding course frequency.

Business & Corporate Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • Business Associations

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Advanced Corporate Law Seminar
  • Antitrust
  • Business Planning
  • International Business Transactions
  • Nonprofit Organizations Seminar
  • Securities Regulation
  • Taxation of Business Entities

Related Courses:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Consumer Law
  • Employment Law
  • Law of Health Care Organization and Finance
  • Insurance Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Labor Law I
  • Payment Systems
  • Products Liability
  • Remedies
  • Sales
  • Sports Law
  • Taxation of Individual Income
  • Worker’s Compensation

Civil Litigation

Foundational Course(s):

  • Conflict of Laws
  • Federal Jurisdiction

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Advanced Evidence Seminar
  • Foundations of Appellate Law
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills
  • Trial Advocacy

Related Courses:

  • Administrative Law
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Civil Rights
  • Consumer Law
  • Environmental Dispute Resolution
  • Family Law
  • Mediation Theory and Practice
  • Patent Prosecution and Litigation
  • Products Liability
  • Remedies

Commercial Law

The Commercial Law Center has created a Commercial Law Curriculum Guide(PDF) for students interested in this subject area.

Foundational Course(s):

  • Business Associations
  • Sales
  • Secured Transactions

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Payment Systems

Related Courses:

  • Consumer Law
  • Remedies
  • Securities Regulation
  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Taxation of Individual Income

Criminal Law & Procedure

Foundational Course(s):

  • Criminal Procedure

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Advanced Criminal Procedure
  • Death Penalty Seminar
  • Law of Sentencing and Corrections
  • White-collar Crime Seminar

Related Courses:

  • Advanced Evidence Seminar
  • Ethical Issues in Representing Children
  • Federal Jurisdiction
  • Foundations of Appellate Law
  • Health Care Fraud and Abuse Seminar
  • Immigration Law
  • International Cultural Heritage Law
  • Justice and Society
  • Juvenile Law
  • Mental Disability Law
  • Trial Advocacy

Environmental Law

Foundational Course(s):

Environmental Law – NEPA, ESA, CAA & CWA

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Environmental Dispute Resolution
  • Environmental Law – Toxic & Hazardous Waste Control
  • International Environmental Law
  • Public Lands Law
  • Water Law

Related Courses:

  • Administrative Law
  • Animal Law
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Federal Indian Law
  • Law of Cities and Towns, The
  • Zoning and Land Use Regulation

Family Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • Family Law
  • Advanced or Specialty Courses:
  • Ethical Issues in Representing Children
  • Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978
  • Juvenile Law

Related Courses:

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Bankruptcy
  • Communications Skills Lab
  • Community Property
  • Comparative Women’s Rights
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Education Law
  • Elder Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Immigration Law
  • International Human Rights
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills Lab
  • Mediation Theory and Practice
  • Remedies
  • Sexuality and the Law
  • Taxation of Individual Income
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Women and the Law

General Practice / Solo Practice

Foundational Course(s):

  • Administrative Law
  • Business Associations
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Employment Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Family Law
  • Federal Indian Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Public Benefits Law
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Taxation of Individual Income
  • Trusts and Wills

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Consumer Law
  • Elder Law
  • Landlord/Tenant Law
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills Lab
  • Mediation Theory and Practice
  • Remedies
  • Secured Transactions
  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Taxation of Gifts and Estates
  • Worker’s Compensation

Related Courses:

  • Advanced Torts
  • Animal Law
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Federal Jurisdiction
  • Mental Disability Law
  • Products Liability
  • Trial Advocacy

Health Care Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • Law of Health Care Organization and Finance

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Health Care Fraud and Abuse Seminar

Related Courses:

  • Antitrust
  • Business Associations
  • Elder Law
  • Employment Law
  • Family Law
  • Federal Jurisdiction
  • Insurance Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Nonprofit Organizations Seminar
  • Public Benefits Law
  • Sexuality and the Law
  • White-collar Crime Seminar

Indian Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • Federal Indian Law
  • Advanced or Specialty Courses:
  • Advanced Federal Indian Law
  • Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978
  • Law of the Plateau Tribes, The
  • Public Policy Seminar for American Indian Governments

Related Courses:

  • Conflict of Laws
  • Comparative Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Jurisdiction
  • International Cultural Heritage Law

Intellectual Property

Foundational Course(s):

  • Intellectual Property
  • Advanced or Specialty Courses:
  • Advanced Copyright
  • Advanced Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
  • Intellectual Property – Transactions and Licensing
  • International and Comparative Intellectual Property
  • Patent Prosecution and Litigation

Related Courses:

  • Administrative Law
  • Advanced Torts
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Planning
  • Media Law
  • Remedies
  • Sports Law

International / Comparative Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • International Law
  • Comparative Law
  • Conflict of Laws

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Comparative Civil Liberties
  • Comparative Mental Disability and Human Rights Law
  • International Business Transactions
  • International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law
  • International Cultural Heritage Law
  • International Environmental Law
  • International Human Rights
  • International Organizations Seminar

Related Courses:

  • Comparative Women’s Rights
  • Federal Indian Law
  • Legal History Seminar
  • Public Policy Seminar for American Indian Governments

Juris prudence & Legal Theory

Foundational Course(s):

  • Jurisprudence

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Jurisprudence Reflecting Catholic Social Teaching
  • Justice and Society

Related Courses:

  • Animal Law
  • Comparative Law
  • Death Penalty Seminar
  • Ethical Issues in Representing Children
  • First Amendment Seminar
  • Legal History Seminar
  • Sexuality and the Law
  • Women and the Law

Labor & Employment Law

Foundational Course(s):

  • Employment Law
  • Labor Law I

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Employment Discrimination Seminar
  • Labor Law II
  • Worker’s Compensation

Related Courses:

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Administrative Law
  • Civil Rights
  • Education Law
  • Health Care Organization and Finance Law
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills
  • Mediation Theory and Practice
  • Media Law
  • Sexuality and the Law
  • Sports Law
  • Taxation of Individual Income
  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Trial Advocacy
  • White-collar Crime Seminar

Public Interest / Public Sector

Foundational Course(s):

  • Administrative Law
  • Civil Rights
  • Family Law
  • Employment Law
  • Remedies
  • Taxation of Individual Income

Advanced or Specialty Courses:

  • Bankruptcy Law
  • Consumer Law
  • Education Law
  • Elder Law
  • Landlord/Tenant Law
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills
  • Mental Disability Law
  • Public Benefits Law
  • Remedies
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Women and the Law

Related Courses:

  • Animal Law
  • Comparative Women’s Rights
  • Health Care Organization and Finance Law
  • International Cultural Heritage Law
  • International Human Rights
  • Sexuality and the Law

Real Estate Transactions & Land Use Planning

Foundational Course(s):

  • Environmental Law – NEPA, ESA, CAA, and CWA
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Zoning and Land Use Planning

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Community Property
  • Environmental Dispute Resolution
  • Environmental Law – Toxic and Hazardous Waste Control
  • Landlord/Tenant Law
  • Law of Cities and Towns, The
  • International Environmental Law
  • Public Lands Law
  • Water Law

Related Courses:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Associations
  • Estate Planning
  • Federal Indian Law
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Skills Lab

Taxation

Foundational Course(s):

  • Taxation of Individual Income

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Taxation of Business Entities
  • Taxation of Compensation
  • Taxation of Gifts and Estates

Related Courses:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Associations
  • Business Planning
  • Community Property
  • Estate Planning
  • Nonprofit Organizations Seminar
  • Trusts and Wills
  • Trusts and Wills Skills Lab I & II

Trusts & Estates

Foundational Course(s):

  • Trusts and Wills

Advanced and Specialty Courses:

  • Estate Planning
  • Taxation of Gifts and Estates
  • Trusts and Wills Skills Lab I and II

Related Courses:

  • Animal Law
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Associations
  • Community Property
  • Elder Law
  • Family Law
  • Mental Disability Law
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Secured Transactions
  • Taxation of Individual Income